The world has changed a lot in the last couple of decades. Instead of simply dealing with local or regional concerns, many businesses now have to think about global markets and logistics. Many companies have facilities spread out across the country or around the world. To connect between these facilities these companies have used dedicated private networks, such as a plurality of centrex or private branch exchanges (PBXs) tied together by dedicated lines. These networks, however, require high capital costs and create maintenance headaches.
Virtual private networks (VPNs) have been created to reduce the need for dedicated private networks. A VPN is a software-defined network offering the appearance, functionality and usefulness of a dedicated private network, at a significant price savings.